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New Released in April 2026

Chords in the Key of C Major

The chords in the key of C major are C, Dm, Em, F, G, Am, Bdim. Seven chords, one on each note of the C major scale, and they all sound right together. Here they are with their notes, as seventh chords, and the ones you will use most.

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  • Digital or acoustic piano
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C C E G

The 7 chords of C major

The pattern is always the same in a major key; only the letters change.

DegreeChordNotesSeventh chordNotes
I CC E G Cmaj7C E G B
ii DmD F A Dm7D F A C
iii EmE G B Em7E G B D
IV FF A C Fmaj7F A C E
V GG B D G7G B D F
vi AmA C E Am7A C E G
vii° BdimB D F Bm7b5B D F A

In C major the major chords are C, F, G, the minor ones Dm, Em, Am and the diminished one Bdim. Key signature: no sharps or flats. Relative key: A minor, which uses the same notes.

<built-in method keys of dict object at 0x7fbecfddf600>

The three chords you will use most in C major

C, F and G are the chords on notes 1, 4 and 5. With just these you can play along with a huge amount of music in C major.

C C E G
G G B D
Am A C E

The chords of C major on guitar

  • C: x32010
  • Dm: xx0231
  • Em: 022000
  • F: 133211
  • G: 320003
  • Am: x02210

Two progressions in C major

I-V-vi-IV: C – G – Am – F · I-IV-V-I: C – F – G – C · Chord progressions in C major

Chords in the Key of C Major – ChordRunner

Play only the chords of C major

Pick C major in ChordRunner and the chords that come up stay inside the key. Play them on a MIDI keyboard or a piano or guitar by microphone.

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Chord progressions in C major · Chords in A minor

Common questions

Which chords belong to C major?

Seven: C, Dm, Em, F, G, Am, Bdim. Build a chord on each note of the scale (C D E F G A B) and these are what you get.

What are the main chords in C major?

C, F and G, the chords on notes 1, 4 and 5 of the scale. Most beginner songs in C major use only these.

Which key shares its notes with C major?

A minor, its relative key: same notes, a different home chord.

Can I practise the chords of C major with a MIDI keyboard?

Yes. ChordRunner keeps the chords inside the key you choose and hears a USB MIDI keyboard, or a piano or guitar through the microphone.

Your instrument is the controller.

ChordRunner is a browser game that teaches piano and guitar chords: a chord appears on screen, you play it on a real instrument, and your runner jumps. MIDI keyboard or microphone, both work.

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